If you have never had a plantain, it tastes pretty much like a potato when a raw or semi-ripe plantain is cooked. We prepared this stew for some guests and they all thought they were eating potatoes.

Plantains are a staple food in southern Somalia and are added to both savoury and sweet dishes. In this post, we show two different methods of cooking plantains. For the stew, we used a semi-ripe plantain which is much easier to peel than a green one and takes much less time to cook. It is not recommended to use very ripe plantains in stews as they will easily disintegrate and will also make the stew taste too sweet.

For the fried plantains, we used ripe fruit that we sliced thinner. You could use semi-ripe plantains but when you fry them, they will taste like french fries. When you fry very ripe plantains, they taste almost like fried bananas. For most Somalis, this would be the perfect accompaniment to rice. It is a delightful combination of sweet and savoury.

1. Using medium heat, fry the onions in the oil for 3 minutes, then add the garlic. 2. Add the Xawaash spice mix and turmeric powder. 3. Add the beef, the Vegeta seasoning and the ground black pepper. Cook for 4 minutes before adding the tomatoes. 4. Add the green chilli, if using. Add the tomatoes. 5. Add the hot water. 6. Cover and cook on medium heat for ½ hour. 7. Add the sliced plantain and the chopped green pepper. 8. Cover and cook on medium heat for another ½ hour. 9. Add the chopped coriander. It is ready to serve with rice (see recipe below), grits, anjero, or sabaayad.

1. Wash the rice 3 times but do not soak. 2. Bring the water to a boil, then add the Vegeta seasoning. 3. Add the olive oil and mix well. 4. Add the rice. 5. When it comes to a boil, mix very well. 6. Cover and cook for 13 minutes using the lowest setting on your stove.

1. Peel the ripe plantains. 2. Cut on a bias into ½” or 1¼ cm thickness. 3. The sliced plantains. 4. Add the Xawaash spice mix and the Vegeta seasoning. Coat well. 5. Using medium heat, fry the plantains in the oil. Fry for 2 minutes on the first side then flip over. 6. Fry for 1½ minutes on the second side. Drain on paper towels.

Assalamo alaykun.
This is Celmah from Hong Kong. I want to try this recipe but here are some of my questions :
1. Can I use lamb leg cubes instead of beef for this stew ? My family and I love lamb.
2. If I cannot find plantain here, can I just use one semi-ripe banana in this stew ?
3. If I run out of time to make the somali spice Xawaash, can I use any other herb / spice for the time being ? (Of course I will definitely try making Xawassh but need to buy a mortar and order the spices from our Indian grocery store first)

Thank you very much for your sharing. I really love your website. A few days ago I tried to make Yoghurt Coconut Chicken again. This time, as you pointed out in my previous post, I cooked on medium heat and it did not burn my pot. Thanks so much. My family likes this dish very much.

Wa’alaikum As-salam Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuh,
Yes, Celmah, you can use cubed leg of lamb. You can also use potatoes if you cannot find plantains or green bananas (cannot be peeled without a knife). Do not use semi-ripe bananas. Use ground cumin and/or coriander instead of xawaash. Thank for your comment and questions.

In a world full of food complications, you make cooking so simple. I’ve tried out most of your food and my family loves it. I’ll be trying this one out for tomorrows dinner,Wish me well. The plantains look great. can’t wait to taste. Thanx for sharing your recipes with us.

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About (Annaga)Qui Sommes Nous نبذة عنا

We are a husband and wife team and we live in Canada. In a world full of food complications, we make cooking very simple. Our recipe videos will make your cooking easy, relaxed and enjoyable. We bring you the foods we love from Somalia and from around the world.